Quality works for Colorado Eagles in victory

Team scores five times on just 18 shots against Wranglers

By Sports Staff

Posted:
03/02/2013 11:36:27 PM MST

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- While the two points the Colorado Eagles gained on Las Vegas late Saturday night have to be taken with a grain of salt with so many March hockey games left, the two points they gained in a 5-3 victory against the Wranglers put them on the brink of a berth in the ECHL playoffs.

Two more points gained or one Bakersfield loss, and that becomes reality after the Eagles (28-25-2-3, 61 points) gutted out a road win at Orleans Arena, getting goals from Michael Forney, Kyle Ostrow, Matt Strueby and A.J. Hau to go along with 39 saves from Adam Brown.

Colorado overcame a 2-0 deficit, notching five straight goals over a span of 35 minutes of play -- killing off some key penalties in the process. Las Vegas had a 5-on-3 chance in the first period to expand their lead and a 4-minute power-play in the second frame, neither of which they took advantage of.

In fact, Hau's goal came shorthanded -- the 11th shorthanded marker for the squad this season -- on the back end of the 2-man advantage for Vegas, a momentum-altering score that gave the Eagles a breath of fresh air.

"The penalty kill has come to life ever since we adjusted our systems a little bit. We've stuck with it and have had better success, but that doesn't come without a lot of hard work and great goaltending," said head coach Chris Stewart. "The guys are down blocking shots, and that makes a big difference for a penalty kill."

The Eagles took their first lead with Forney's goal 2:24 into the middle stanza, his 29th of the year. Ostrow made good on a pass from Hau at 17:02, and then added a second for the night just 4 seconds into a third-period power play.

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With just 18 shots on goal, it was one of those nights where the quality outweighed the quantity. Colorado has just seven wins (7-16-1-2) while being out-shot for a game, and Las Vegas registered 42 of them.

"The tables were turned where we didn't have any many chances as we would have liked probably, but the opportunities we did have, we made the best of them," Stewart added. "Not only did we get some good shifts out of Matt Strueby, but you can't say enough about A.J., either. A.J. and Steve Haddon were by far our best line out there."

Colorado continues its season-most seven-game road trip on Tuesday against Idaho. The Eagles have yet to beat the Steelheads this season.